Munchausen by internet
Also known as:
- munchausen syndrome
- munchausen's
- factitious disorder
What is Risk ?
Digital risk factors associated with their interests and activities
Signs that someone may suffer from Munchausen syndrome include doing things to convince someone else they are ill. For example, they may:
- claim they are experiencing physical pain, for example, a headache
- claim they have a longstanding health issue, like Crohn’s disease
- claim they experience psychological symptoms, for example, hearing voices
- lie about the context of photos, like saying a routine medical check-up is chemotherapy
- actively try to become ill, for example, by letting a cut become infected
Someone who suffers from Munchausen syndrome can use different online platforms to talk about their health. They might use:
- blogs and forums
- social media platforms
- live streams
- video sharing services
Some people have entire online identities based around a false illness or health condition.
Risks and motivations
Risks
Online audience and popularity
A child or young person might get attention from their followers if they pretend to be ill. Getting sympathy or attention might influence them to continue pretending to be unwell or to escalate their behaviour. This could become an obstacle to their recovery.
Being caught and fraudulent activity
A child or young person pretending to be ill could be caught. Consequences can include:
- harassment and abuse from followers or others online
- feeling embarrassed or ashamed
- damage to relationships, for example, damage to trust or losing friends
A child or young person could set up a fund to receive donations for their false condition. Receiving funds for a false cause is fraudulent. Fraud is illegal. Someone convicted of fraud may have to pay back the money. They may also receive a criminal record or prison sentence.
Physical health and wellbeing
Pretending to have an illness can impact a child or young person’s health and wellbeing. For example, a child or young person may agree to take unnecessary prescribed medication to keep up the appearance that they are ill. They may also harm themselves to appear more unwell. For example, by reopening existing wounds or by eating or drinking something that makes them sick.
In some cases, individuals suffering from Munchausen’s syndrome have had invasive, life-threatening surgery despite knowing they are healthy.
Motivations
A child or young person might suffer from Munchausen by internet. They may wish to convince others online that they are ill. This could be because they:
- are lonely
- want attention or sympathy
- want to gain followers
- want to control others
- are copying things they have seen online
- want to make money
- find it hard to stop
- are trying to raise awareness
Young people’s voice
I researched everything I was feeling, which eventually led me to DID. The actual disorder I struggle with is depression, and I have suffered through actual dissociation. I think I always knew deep down that I was faking it, but at the time it was a label that I thought worked for me. If people said I was faking, I got very angry because who were they to say I was wrong?
Young person
Munchausen by internet, VoiceBox, 2022
The people who participate in trends like these are mostly young people who don’t have the maturity needed to realise that such mental illnesses are painful, real, issues, and I do think as they grow up a bit they’ll be horrified at their trivialization of a marginalised group’s struggle
Young person
Munchausen by internet, VoiceBox, 2022
What you can do
You may be working with a child or young person who you think is pretending to have an illness or health condition online. It might be helpful to look at some of the signs and symptoms of Munchausen syndrome.
It can also be helpful to look at some of their online activities, like their social media accounts. For example, if a young person uses a social media account to describe an illness that they are not known to have, this could indicate that they have Munchausen by internet.
Talking with a child or young person can be one way to get some more information about how they are feeling, as well as some possible risks. However, it is difficult to discuss Munchausen syndrome with someone who suffers from the condition. Many individuals do not admit the existence of the syndrome and refuse to cooperate with treatment plans.
If you think that a young person is at risk, follow your safeguarding procedure and read our safeguarding guidance.
Support
Recovery from Munchausen’s syndrome can be a long, complex process.
Depending on their level of cooperation, treatments like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or psychoanalysis may be recommended to a child or young person. Other forms of family therapy may also be a way of supporting a child or young person throughout any recovery process.
You could review a child or young person’s online activity to help with their recovery. For example, unrestricted access to social media platforms may prevent them from wanting to tackle Munchausen by internet. They may worry about losing followers and attention.
It is important to remember that each child or young person’s recovery process will be different.
Read more about munchausen by internet
- Munchausen by internet (VoiceBox) – Website
- Munchausen by internet: current research and future directions (National Library of Medicine) – Journal
- Munchausen by Internet: detecting factitious illness and crisis on the Internet (National Library of Medicine) – Journal
- Munchausen by internet and false perinatal crises (National Library of Medicine) – Journal
- Munchausen's syndrome and other factitious disorders in children (National Library of Medicine) – Journal
Share your experience of munchausen by internet
You can tell us about:
- other terms you might have heard
- conversations you’ve had with young people
- a related platform or app
- another related risk or harm